Palacegirl
by Tortall Gixie
Summary: Neal's daughter Berry tries for her knighthood.  This is her page years.
1. Winning the Right

Ambera of Queenscove's green eyes met her father's of the same shade. "But _you're_ a knight, and Mother fights."

Sir Nealan of Queenscove scowled at his daughter and only child. "Berry, no. I don't want to risk losing you."

Berry's mother Yukimi, called Yuki, a former resident of the Yamani Islands, came up behind her husband. "Neal, you can't say you're opposed to women knights, not after Keladry and Alanna. Besides, Kel told me that that Scanran seer girl you met when you went to kill the Nothing Man foresaw Berry would try for her knighthood."

Neal sighed, and Berry hugged him, grinning. She knew him well enough to be able to tell he'd given in."

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><p><strong>Don't worry, I know it's short. They kinda all are. But I actually have chapter 2 all written, I just need to type it. Peace, Tory.<strong>


	2. Palace

Berry stood with her new year-mates, including Prince Alexander and Mellissa of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, the daughter of the Knight Commander of the King's Own, in front of King Roald and Queen Shinkokami. The old rulers, Jonathon and Thayet, had abdicated the throne when Roald had turned thirty, saying Tortall needed a younger leader.

The Tortallan knights assembled behind the new pages. Things had changed, and instead of an older page or a squire becoming a page-sponser, a knight was assigned to the new pages. Often the knights became so attatched to "their" pages that they asked them to become their squires as well.

"Ambera of Queenscove, your page-sponser will be...Keladry of Mindelan."

Berry turned to face her page-sponser. Keladry was a female knight! Berry frowned. Keladry. The name was familiar. Was it the same Keladry that her mother had mentioned, the lady knight?

As Keladry led Berry out of the packed room she looked at the page. "Ambera of Queenscove? _My_ page-sponser, and one of my best friends at one point, was of Queenscove. Nealan. Are you his daughter? You have his eyes and build. Although, you have Yamani eyes and skin...Yuki! Do you speak Yamani?"

Berry blinked. "Uh...yes, Milady Keladry. I am Nealan's daughter. And yes, I speak Yamani. Do you?"

"Yes," the lady knight replied, in Yamani. "And _don't_ call me Milady Keladry. Kel, Milady Kel if you must. Keladry sounds so...formal."

Berry grinned. "Berry, not Ambera."

"I'll call you Berry if you'll call me Kel." Kel and Berry shook on it. "How's your father? I haven't heard from him in, Mithros, twelve years. I didn't even know Yuki was with child. Do you have any siblings?"

"No...Kel. I'm an only child."

Kel kept asking Berry questions about her family until they reached their new quarters.


	3. Letters

_Dear Mother and Father,_

_The palace is so different from Queenscove. My page-sponser is Keladry of Mindelan, who says she knows both of you. We both speak Yamani, and we can play the fan game. Kel-she said to just call her Kel, not Milady or Keladry-uses a glaive, which I know you like, Mother, for all I can't use one. _

_Everyone here treats me so well. My year-mates include Prince Alexander of Conte and Mellissa of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak. Alex has Yamani-color skin like me, but doesn't speak Yamani._

_In the mornings Kel, Queen Shinkokami, and I gather to toss a fan and talk in and about Yamani, the then the queen and Kel hold glaive practice. If the two of you ever come to visit Mother could join in._

_Love you, Berry._

_Dear Neal,_

_I don't know how to begin. I haven't heard from you in what, twelve years? It's in part my fault, for I haven't written either._

_Do you remember Tobe? Of course you do. The one, other than me, the Peachblossom actually liked. He's roughly twenty-five now, and I adopted him eleven years ago. I know I never married, but I have two children, adopted the both of them-Tobe, and a now-thirteen-year-old girl, Natalia. I found her injured and half-dead five years ago. The Protector of the Small thing, I suppose._

_Twelve years. That's too long. I didn't even know you had a child until I was assigned as a page-sponser to Berry. I miss you, Neal. My sarcasic, world-weary, healer friend, who doesn't have a mean bone in his bady, for all he fakes otherwise. My green-eyed page-sponser. My Sir Meathead, to take my cue from Dom. If you write back with permission, I'll ride to Queenscove. As soon as I get your letter. On Peachblossom's grandson, Cray, who acts like his grandsire. The biting, that is. Tobe said Peachblossom bit you because you squeak when bit. Mayhaps Cray will act the same, and you'll miss my infamously bad-tempered warhorse._

_Waiting for your reply, Kel._

_Kel,_

_Come to Queenscove, and bring Berry with you._

_Love (as a friend), Neal._


End file.
